Having observed and dealt with stress for over 30 years — as a combat soldier and officer in special units, and later as a combat psychologist in operational units — the recent developments surrounding PTSD can reasonably be described as an “epidemic.”

There are several important things to understand about PTSD before analyzing it, and learning how to cope with it.

Understanding PTSD

First, PTSD should be viewed as a phenomenon that exists on a continuum. It moves up and down depending on circumstances.

A person experiences stress when he (“he” can be read as “she” throughout this article) perceives that he lacks the resources to deal with a situation. Beyond personality differences, this explains why people react differently to the same stimulus.

Stressors that come as a surprise have a far greater impact. If you know that tomorrow you have multiple tasks to perform, you can plan and prepare — emotionally and technically. If, however, you arrive at the office and suddenly discover multiple unexpected tasks and challenges, you will experience shock at some level, which will impair your functioning.

The October 7 war was a surprise in many respects: timing, cruelty, destructiveness, length, and intensity.

Stress is cumulative. Imagine carrying a few kilograms of “stressors” in a backpack every day — changing from time to time: work stress, family challenges, health issues, time constraints, and so on. Now imagine adding 50 kilograms of war-related stressors to that pack. Some people can manage this for a while; others cannot manage it even briefly.

Time is another crucial factor. Even those who can carry the additional weight for a short period will eventually buckle under it. Think of PTSD as a stress fracture — not of the body, but of the mind.

Regular army units and reservists spent months in combat zones. Sleep was scarce due to continual combat. Even when a few hours of rest were possible, explosions from IDF bombardments and enemy fire disrupted normal sleep patterns.

Physical rest is essential for muscle recovery as well as the brain. Hygiene is also critically important — not only for comfort, but to prevent skin infections and other complications. All of these factors compound the extreme stress of combat.

Soldiers who experienced deaths or severe injuries within their units are more vulnerable to PTSD. New commanders who replaced those killed or wounded could not immediately gain their soldiers’ trust, even if they were appropriately trained. For example, few sergeants were perceived as being as professional as the officers they replaced. Trust in leadership is a critical protective factor against PTSD.........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)